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Taylor Phinney (BMC Racing) heading for his stage win at the Tour of California (Image credit: AFP)
A classic truck cruising Highway 1 stopped to let the race go by. (Image credit: Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us)
Todays race started on the Pismo Beach pier. (Image credit: Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us)
Taylor Phinney (BMC) on the way to his win. (Image credit: Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us)
Bradley Wiggens (Sky) descends to pasadena. (Image credit: Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us)
Cannondale leads the way into downtown Pasadena. (Image credit: Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us)
Bradley Wiggins (Sky) and Mark Cavendish (Omega Pharma-Quickstep) have a chat during the morning rollout. (Image credit: Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us)
Mark Cavendish (Omega Pharma-Quickstep) peeks from behind a fan. (Image credit: Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us)
Elephant Seals line the beach as the race goes past. (Image credit: Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us)
Johan Esteban Chaves (Orica-GreenEdge) all smiles after winning on Mountain High. (Image credit: Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us)
The peloton crests the Mt. Hamilton climb. (Image credit: Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us)
Bradley Wiggins (Sky) corners during the day. (Image credit: Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us)
Rohan Dennis (Garmin) closes in on the finish line. (Image credit: Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us)
Laurens Ten Dam (Belkin) is held up after crossing the finish line. (Image credit: Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us)
Nathan Brown (Garmin) after todays tough finish. (Image credit: Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us)
The peloton didn’t have much time to take in today’s scenery. (Image credit: Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us)
A group of riders begins to split off of the field. (Image credit: Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us)
Cavendish gets a little bit of help out on the road (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Matteo Trentin (Omega Pharma QuickStep) does the work for his teammates (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Team Sky set the pace for Bradley Wiggins during the Tour of California (Image credit: AFP)
Bradley Wiggins (Team Sky) wins the 2014 Tour of California (Image credit: AFP)
Thomas Danielson (Garmin-Sharp) greets the race fans (Image credit: AFP)
The sweet taste of success for Bradley Wiggins (Team Sky) (Image credit: AFP)
Terpstra leads Bobridge on a final day break in California (Image credit: AFP)
Fans turn out to watch the peloton climb in the Tour of California (Image credit: AFP)
Lawson Craddock (Giant-Shimano) finished third overall in the race (Image credit: AFP)
Bradley Wiggins and Mark Cavendish strike a pose at the Tour of California (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Mark Cavendish wins the opening stage at the Tour of California (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Bradley Wiggins (Team Sky) builds his win around a solid time trial (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Mark Cavendish greets Esteban Chaves the morning after the Colombian's stage win (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Mark Cavendish (Omega Pharma QuickStep) tucks into his mid-race lunch (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Esteban Chaves takes his first win for Orica GreenEdge at the Tour of California (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Tom Boonen (Omega Pharma - QuickStep) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Jack Bobridge (Team Belkin) give it his all (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Keep cool at the Tour of California (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
The peloton roll through stunning scenery at the Tour of California (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
The peloton roll through stunning scenery at the Tour of California (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Mountain high: The peloton climb in the Tour of California (Image credit: AFP)
Cool, calm, collected: Wiggins in the leader's jersey at California (Image credit: AFP)
Garmin-Sharp celebrate their win in the teams' competition (Image credit: AFP)
Jens Voigt takes time out at the Tour of California (Image credit: AFP)
Fans made themselves seen and heard at the race (Image credit: AFP)
Picture perfect at the 2014 Tour of California (Image credit: AFP)
Will Routley (Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies) rode the perfect race during stage 4 of the Tour of California (Image credit: AFP)
Lawson Craddock was strong in the Tour of California mountains (Image credit: AFP)
Rohan Denns (Garmin-Sharp) shows his class with a fine stage win (Image credit: AFP)
US fans turn out to support Taylor Phinney (BMC Racing) (Image credit: AFP)
Laurens Ten Dam takes a tumble after his time trial (Image credit: AFP)
The colour of the Tour of the California (Image credit: AFP)
The peloton line out during the Tour of California (Image credit: AFP)
Shut up legs: Jens Voigt (Trek Factory Racing) on the attack (Image credit: AFP)
Mark Cavendish (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) wins the final stage (Image credit: AFP)
Peter Sagan (Cannondale) wins his Tour of California stage (Image credit: AFP)
Spectacular scenes of racing at the Tour of California (Image credit: AFP)
The peloton speed by at the Tour of California 2014 (Image credit: AFP)
Team Sky worked all week for Bradley Wiggins (Image credit: AFP)
Esteban Chaves (GreenEdge) wins atop Mountain High (Image credit: AFP)
Taylor Phinney (BMC Racing) wins in Santa Barbara (Image credit: AFP)
Taylor Phinney (BMC Racing) in full flight on his TT machine (Image credit: AFP)
Eight days of thrilling racing came to an end on Sunday with the 2014 Tour of California finishing up in Thousand Oaks. The 2012 Tour de France champion Bradley Wiggins (Team Sky) came away with the overall honours after building his campaign on a winning ride in the individual time trial and then fending off challenges in the mountains.
The race was about way more than just one man and one team though with Mark Cavendish (Omega Pharma QuickStep), Peter Sagan (Cannodale) carving up the sprint stages. There were breakthrough wins too with Esteban Chaves (Orica Greenedge) and Rohan Dennis (Garmin-Sharp) both claiming impressive mountain stages.
And the domestic teams played their part, too: constantly on the attack and making the race at critical stages, Will Routley (Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies) came away with a memorable stage win on stage 4 and the king of the mountains competition.
In the battle for the best young rider's white jersey, Lawson Craddock (Giant-Shimano) held off the challenge from Adam Yates (Orica GreenEdge).
Take a look back through the race with this stunning gallery.
